In a one-on-one race, Cruz would lead Trump 47.8 percent to 36.2 percent.

The survey of 500 likely GOP primary voters was conducted March 19-20 and had a margin of error of plus or minus 4.4 percentage points. The poll was conducted via live interviews and included cell phones.

Also this week, Emerson College released a poll that found Cruz and Trump about even.

That automated phone poll was conducted March 20-22. It included 439 likely GOP primary voters and had a margin of error of plus or minus 4.6 percentage points, while the Dem primary included 354 likely primary voters and had a margin of error of plus or minus 5.2 percentage points. According to the release, the Dem primary results were weighted by gender and age, while the GOP primary was not.

-- By JR RossEditor's Note: This post has been updated to add details on how the Free Beacon poll was conducted.